Bucket loader



July 26, 1960 E. R. CUNNINGHAM, JR 2,946,564

BUCKET LOADER Filed April 11, 1957 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ERNEST R. CUNNINGHAM JR.

ATTORNEYS July 26, 1960 I E. R. CUNNINGHAM, JR

BUCKET LOADER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 11, 1957 INVENTOR ERNEST R. CUNNINGHAM JR.

BY M ATTORNEYS BUCKET LOADER Ernest R. Cunningham, In, P.0. Box 566, Libertyville, 111.

Filed Apr. '11, 1957, Ser. No. 652,228 7 Claims. (Cl. 254-166) This invention rel-ates to bucket loaders and particularly to an improved construction whereby the power wheels and the bucket can be employed as a power means and guide respectively for a cable attached to an object for moving the same.

One of the principal objects of this invention is to provide a construction useful with a bucket type loader whereby a pair of the powered wheels can be elevated from the ground by the lifting cylinders for the bucket, the so elevated wheels having winch drums thereon for winding cables attached to a movable object, the bucket having means thereon for guiding such cables.

Another object is to provide a structure whereby a pair of wheels of the loader and the bucket become reaction points, with the other pair of wheels being in elevated position between such reaction points and arranged to provide a winding means for cables guided by the ground engaging bucket and attached to a movable object remote from the bucket.

Other objects and important features of the invention will be apparent from a study of the specification following taken with the drawings, which together show and describe a number of preferred embodiments of the invention and what are now considered to be the best modes of practicing the principles thereof. Other embodiments may be suggested to those having the benefit of the teachings herein, and such other embodiments are intended to be reserved especially as they fall within the scope and spirit of the subjoined claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a bucket loader having the improvements according to the present invention embodied therein;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing a guide for a cable disposed at the side of the bucket of the loader seen in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a detailed sectional view showing structure for attaching the winch drums for the cable seen in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of a mounting ring adapted to be secured to the driving wheel of the loader seen in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 6 is a front elevational view thereof;

Fig. 7 is a side elevational view of a winch drum arranged to be mounted on the mounting ring shown in Figs. 5 and 6;

Fig. 8 is a front elevational view thereof;

Fig. 9 is a detailed side elevational view, parts thereof being shown in section, showing the manner in which the winch drum is secured to the mounting ring shown in Figs. 5 and 6;

- Fig. 10 is 'a sectional view through one of the wheels for'supporting the winch drum, said wheel being of the type having a planetary speed reducer thereat; and

- Fig. llis a sectional view taken along the line 11-11 of Fig. 10 looking in the direction of the arrows. n

ice

Referring now particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the improvements according to the present in;

vention are embodied in a power bucket loader indicated generally by the reference numeral 20. Such a loader includes a vehicle frame 21 mounted upon powered wheels 22, 22 and powered dirigible wheels 23, 23. A

pair of booms 24, 24 are disposed to each side of the vehicle frame and are pivoted at 26 thereon. The booms 24 extend in a direction to the front of the loader 20v and afford a support for a bucket indicated generally by,

the reference numeral 27, said bucket being mounted to the booms 24 as at 28. The booms 24, together with the bucket 27, are raised and lowered by means of a lifting cylinder 29 having a piston 31 which is pivotally connected to a bracket 32 mounted to the underside of the boom 24. The other end of the lifting cylinder 29 is pivotally connected as at 33 to the frame 21. ;'The lifting cylinders 29 are arranged to lift the booms 24 and the bucket 27 mounted at the end thereof to positions above the ground upon which the'loader is disposed, or to cause the bucket 27 to be in contact with the ground whilst the wheels 23 are raised thereabove as seen in Fig.

2. Under such conditions the weight of the loader 20 is proportioned between the rear wheels 22 and the bucket 27 as reactions against the ground.

Each of the front wheels 23 has a winch drumindicated generally by the reference numeral 30 mounted thereon. Each winch drum 34 Winds a cable 34 thereon which is guided between a pair of vertical roller guides 36, see Fig. 3, mounted on a plate 37 extending fronran end wall 38 of the bucket 27. The plate 37 rests upon a gusset plate 39 welded to the underside of the plate 37 and to the outerside of the end wall 38. The support plate 37 also supports a horizontal roller 41 for guiding the cable 34. i

The cables 34 extend to a point remote from the bucket 27 and are connected to a movable object, not shown, whereby upon winding of the winch drums 30 the object may be moved by the cables 34. i

Referring now to Figs. 4 to 9 inclusive, each winch drum 30 is mounted to the front wheel 23 by means of a double lug nut 42 which is internally threaded as at 43 to a stud 44 which holds a rim 46 to the wheel 23. The double lug nut 42 has .an annular flange 47 which provides a stop for a winch adapter plate 48 held in position against the flange 47 by means of a lug nut 49 cooperating with external threads 51 on the double lug nut 42. The lug nut 49 is chamfered at the end and engaged in beveled holes 50 spaced around the Winch adapter plate 48. As seen in Fig. 5 the winch adapter plate 48 has equally spaced bosses 52 extending therefrom. These are bored and tapped as at 53 to receive a cap screw 54 passing through a strap 56 welded at 57' to a circular end flange 58 of the winch drum 30, see also Figs. 7 and 8. A cylindrical cable drum 59 is welded to the circular end flange 58, and has in turn welded thereto an end flange 61."

The cylindrical cable drum 59 has a plurality of slots 60 therein to receive the end of the cable-34, so that the cable can be wound upon the cylindrical drum 59.

Referring now to Figs. 10 and 11 of the drawings,

there is shown another embodiment wherein the wheel 23 may be driven at a reduced speed by means of an incable wound thereon. As seen in Figs. 10 and 11 the Wheel 23 is driven by a shaft 62 having a sun gear 63 thereon cooperating with planet pinions 64 and an internal ring gear 66 held by bolts 67 to the wheel 23;

The bolts 67 also hold in position a circular housing 63 Patented July 26, 1 960.

having an end wall 69 which forms a support for stub shafts 71 for the planet pinions 64. As seen in Fig. 10, the circular housing 68 has a pair of end flanges 72 and 73 which. confine the cable 34. therebetween.

In either form of the invention, whether it be the circular housing 68 enclosing the planetary reduction train or a winch drum as described with reference to Figs. 5 to 9, the power is applied to. the wheels 23 and the cables 34 are. wound upon their respective drums. As. seen in Fig. 1, the wheels 23 can be. selectively braked as by a wheel brake 74. Since the two wheels 23, 23 are part of a differential power divider 75, the torque from the prime mover, not shown, of the loader can be directed to either wheel, opposite of course to the wheel which is being braked. For example, if the cables 34 are, attached to different points on the movable object the movable object can be turned as desired by alternate application of a pulling strain on the cables 34 by alternate application of the brakes 74.

In operation as described above, the rear wheels 22 are disengaged from the prime mover. The vehicle power train and the drive to the front wheels 23 and the winches thereon replace conventional winch driving mechanism. It may also be observed that the drive is effective through angles as indicated in Fig. 1, and the pull is maintained against the load irrespective ofthe position of the load relative to the power loader 20. At all times the operator of the power loader can face the load with full visibility, for accurate and safe control.

While the invention has been described in terms of a pair of preferred embodiments thereof its scope is intended to be limited only by the claims here appended.

I claim as my invention:

1'. An excavating machine comprising a frame having powered wheels thereon, a boom pivotally mounted to said frame and having a bucket mounted at the free end thereof, power means for moving said boom relative to said frame to a position where said bucket is in contact with the ground at a point remote from said frame and said wheels with a pair of wheels adjacent said bucket out of contact with the ground, a differential mechanism between, said pair of wheels, a winch drum mounted on each of said wheels, a cable wound on each of said winch drums, and anchored to a movable object remote from said bucket, means on said bucket for guiding said cable, said means being disposed above the center of rotation of said, winch so that the portion of the cable between said winch and said means and the portion of the cable between said movable object and said means define an angle in a vertical plane of less than one hundred eighty degrees to provide a downward component of force on said bucket to augment the reaction thereagainst, and a brake at each wheel selectively operable to control the operation of the cable on the winch at said wheel.

2. An excavating machine comprising a frame having powered wheels thereon, aboom pivotally mounted, to said frame and having a bucket mounted at the free end thereof, power means for moving said boom relative to said frame to a position where said bucket is in contact with the ground at a point remote from said frame and said wheels with a pair of wheels adjacent said bucket out of contact with the ground, a winch drum mounted on each of said wheels, a cable wound on each of said winch drums, and anchored to a movable object remote from said bucket, means on said bucket for guiding said cable, said means being disposed above the center of rotation of said winch so that the portion of the cable between said winch and said means and the portion of the cable between said movable object and said means define an angle in a vertical plane of less than one hundred eighty degrees to provide a downward component of force on said bucket to augment the reaction thereagainst, and a brake at each wheel selectively operable to. control the operation of the cable on the winch at said wheel.

3.. Anexcavating. machine comprising a frame having powered wheels thereon, a boom pivotally mounted to said frame and having a bucket mounted at the free end thereof, power means for moving said boom relative to said frame to a position where said bucket is in contact with the ground at a point remote from said frame and said Wheels with a pair of wheels adjacent said bucket out of contact with the ground, a winch drum on at least one of said wheels, a cable wound on said winch drum, and anchored to a movable object remote from said bucket, and means on said bucket comprising spaced vertical guides and a horizontal guide for said cable, said means being disposed above the center of rotation of said winch so that the portion of the cable between said winch and said means and the portion of the cable between said movable object and said means define an angle in a vertical plane of less than one hundred eighty degrees to provide a downward component of force on said bucket to augment the reaction thereagainst.

4. An excavating machine comprising a frame having powered wheels thereon, a boom pivotally mounted to said frame and having a bucket mounted at the free end. thereof, power means for moving, said boom relative to said frame to a position where said bucket is in contact with the ground at a point remote from said frame and said wheels with a pair of wheels adjacent said bucket out of contact with the ground, a winch drum on at least one of said wheels, a cable wound on said winch drum, and anchored to a movable object remote from said bucket, and means on said bucket for guiding said cable, said means being disposed above. the center of rotation of said winch so that the portion of the cable between said winch and said means and the portion of the cable between said movable object and said, means define an angle in a vertical plane of less than one hundred eighty degrees to provide a downward component of force on said bucket to augment the reaction thereagainst.

5. An excavating machine comprising a frame having powered wheels thereon, a boom pivotally mounted to said frame and having a bucket mounted at the free end thereof, power means for moving said boom relative to said frame to a position where said bucket is in contact with the ground at a point remote from said frame and said wheels with a pair of wheels adjacent said bucket out of contact with the ground, a speed reducer at each of said wheels including a housing therefor, a winch drum mounted on said housing, a cable wound on said winch drum and anchored to a movable object remote from said bucket and means on said bucket for guiding said cable, said means being disposed above the center of rotation of said winch so that the portion of the cable between said winch and said means and the portion of the cable between said movable object and said means define an angle in a vertical plane of less than one hundred eighty degrees to provide a downward component of force on said bucket to augment the reaction thereagainst.

6. An excavating machine comprising a frame having powered wheels thereon, a boom pivotally mounted to said frame and having a bucket mounted at the free end thereof, power means for moving said boom relative to said frame to a position where said bucket is in contact with the ground at a point remote from said frame and said wheels with a pair of wheels adjacent said bucket out of contact with the ground, a differential mechanism between said pair of wheels, a speed reducer at each of said wheels including a housing therefor, a winch drum mounted on said housing, a cable wound on, said. winch drum, and anchored to a movable objectv remote from, said bucket, means on said bucket for guiding said cable, said means being disposed above the center of rotationof said, winch so that the portion of the cable between said winch and said means and the portion of the cable between said. movable object and said means define an angle in a vertical plane of less than-one hundred eighty degrees to pro.- vide a downward component of force on, said bucket to; augment the reactionthereagainst, and a brake at each wheel selectively operable to control the operation. of: the, cable on the winch at said wheel.

7. An excavating machine comprising a frame having powered wheels thereon, a boom pivotally mounted to said frame and having a bucket mounted at the free end thereof, power means for moving said boom relative to said frame to a position where said bucket is in contact with the ground at a point remote from said frame and said Wheels with a pair of wheels adjacent said bucket out of contact with the ground, a speed reducer at each of said wheels including a housing therefor, a winch drum mounted on said housing, a cable wound on said winch drum, and anchored to a movable object remote from said bucket, means on said bucket for guiding said cable, said means beingdisposed above the center of rotation of said winch so that the portion of the cable between said winch and said means and the portion of the cable operation of the cable on the winch at said wheel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,941,945 V Landn'n Jan. 2, 1934 2,500,326 Shafi Mar. 14, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 863,769 France Apr. 9, 1941 

